Dubai Metro launches

Yesterday and today have been big days here in Dubai. The much awaited Dubai Metro has finally opened with much fanfare and excitement. Only 10 stations on the Red Line have been opened as yet, the rest will open by early 2010, while the Green Line should open by June 2010 (delayed from March 2010). The opening ceremony started off last evening at the Mall of the Emirates where the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Makhtoum presided over the events. We were there in the mall and heard the cheers and clapping when Sheikh Mohammed arrived, and spotted his son, the crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Makhtoum before the ceremony started.

The metro opened to the public at 6am this morning. We haven't been on it as yet, but are looking forward to explore it and new areas of the city through it soon. This is the first metro project in the middle east, so it's been made a big deal of and rightly so, since one of the highest usages of vehicles is right here in this part of the world.

Comments

mindspace said…
We were hoping to have a ride on it too but then got to know that it had started only from MOE to Rashidiya or some place that side plus first day it wasn't open for the general public.
Its exciting coz it will be the world's longest driver-less metro.. lets hope it changes the traffic n commuting hassles in Dubai.
~Tara
Tanya said…
How awesome I love the MRT in Singapore and the MTR in Hongkong so cheap, easy and fast. We are travelling by train when we go to Italy at Christmas too.
With the launch of the Metro, Dubai adds yet another feather in it's already crowded cap!:)
Looking forward to you capturing, and sharing,some great Moments on the Metro:)
Shalini said…
Tara, Yes, so exciting to finally have the metro. We're waiting till all the teething troubles get over before getting onboard. We don't have a station close by but one of the Metro Feeder buses apparently comes to our area. Do blog about it when you go on the metro!

Tayna, Yes, it makes traveling in a city so much more convenient. And this one is mostly above ground on stilts, so one gets great views of the city.

Guillermo, thanks, will think about it.

M, Yes, me too. I wish I had my camera the day it launched, so I could have taken shots of the crowds and the sheikhs!

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